John Paul Riddle

John Paul Riddle was a pilot and an aviation enthusiast, most well known for co-founding what later became Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU).

Personal life

Riddle was born in 1901 in Pikeville, Kentucky.cite web
url = http://givingto.erau.edu/societies/riddle.html
title = Earning Our Wings: The John Paul Riddle Society
accessdate = 2007-08-21] He attended Pikeville College in his hometown. After college he married Adele Goeser and they had six children. He served in the US Army Air Service from 1920 to 1922. After serving in the military, he became a barnstormer.cite web
url = http://www.sun-n-fun.org/content/interior.asp?section=museum&body=displays/fahs05&p=1
title = Florida Aviation Historical Society: Inductees For 2005
accessdate = 2007-08-21] He last lived in Coral Gables, Florida. At 87 years old, Riddle came down with an illness and died a few days later, on April 11, 1989.cite news
last = Cook
first = Joan
title = John Paul Riddle, 87, Aviation Education Leader
pages = B12
publisher = The New York Times
date = 1989-04-11
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0717F93B5D0C728DDDAD0894D1484D81
accessdate = 2007-08-21 ] Riddle is buried with his Royal Air Force cadets at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Arcadia, Florida. [cite web
url = http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/wwii/sites.cfm?PR_ID=212
title = Oak Ridge Cemetery
accessdate = 2007-08-21]

Embry-Riddle

On December 17, 1925, exactly 22 years after the Wright Brothers' first flight, Riddle and T. Higbee Embry formed the Embry-Riddle Company at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio. Riddle had met Embry two years prior, while Riddle was barnstorming in Ohio. He had landed at Polo Field, offered Embry a ride in his plane, and from then on they were good friends.cite book
first=Geoffrey
last=Arend
year=1986
title=Great Airports: Miami International
publisher =Air Cargo News, Inc
location = New York
pages = 206-212 ] Riddle was named general manager, and the two began to sell Waco Aircraft in Cincinnati. In spring of 1926, the Embry-Riddle Company opened the Embry-Riddle Flying School. The school grew rapidly in 1928 and 1929, until the Embry-Riddle Company (now the Embry-Riddle Aviation Corporation) was merged with the Aviation Corporation (AVCO) of Delaware. AVCO phased out the Embry-Riddle Flying School in the fall of 1930. Shortly after, AVCO became American Airways (the predecessor of American Airlines), and the Embry-Riddle Company was gone. [cite book
last =Craft
first =Stephen
title =Embry-Riddle and American Aviation
url =http://www.erau.edu/er/abouterau/erauandeaf.pdf]

In 1939, Riddle was ready to get back into the business of training pilots. He contacted Embry, who had no interest in reentering a partnership with Riddle. Riddle, now living in Miami, Florida, found a partner in John G. McKay and his wife, Isabel. Keeping the Embry-Riddle name, they reestablished the Embry-Riddle School of Aviation (now the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University), partnering with the University of Miami to provide flight training under the Civilian Pilot Training Program, increasing the number of pilots immediately proceeding World War II. Riddle and McKay also formed the Riddle Aeronautical Institute at Carlstrom Field in Arcadia, Florida on March 22, 1941 for the purpose of training pilots for the United States Army Air Corps. A separate division of Embry-Riddle provided technical training in maintenance and metal work.

McKay purchased Riddle's share of Embry-Riddle in 1944 and from then on the two co-founders of the original Embry-Riddle were no longer involved. [cite book
last =Craft
first =Stephen
title =Embry-Riddle in a World at War
url =http://www.erau.edu/er/abouterau/er-worldwar.pdf]

Other companies

Riddle also founded many other aviation related companies and schools. The J.P. Riddle Company was a school founded in 1939. The flying and technical school was so large that it contracted five flying schools to the US and British governments. A Brazilian school, Escola Tecnica de Aviacao, was established in 1943 and was located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In May 1945, J.P. Riddle Company used some aircraft to relocate American transport instructors to his school in Brazil. This regularly scheduled service was operated by Riddle Airlines, which was incorporated by Riddle.

Use of Riddle's name

* The John Paul Riddle Student Center at ERAU's Daytona Beach campus has been named after Riddle.
* The call sign for aircraft at both ERAU campuses use the phrase "Riddle" followed by the three numbers in its registration. This call sign can only be used in the local area, as it is under an agreement with local air traffic control.
* The John Paul Riddle Society is a gift society at Embry-Riddle reserved for those who have donated more than $500,000 to the University.

Awards

* Wesley L. McDonald Elder Statesman Award - 1986 [cite web
url = http://www.naa.aero/html/awards/index.cfm?cmsid=166
title = National Aeronautic Association Awards
accessdate = 2007-08-21]
* Pikesville College Outstanding Alumni Award - 1988 [cite web
url = http://alumni.pc.edu/award/outstanding.htm
title = Pikesville College - Outstanding Alumni Award Recipients
accessdate = 2007-08-21]
* Florida Aviation Hall of Fame [cite web
url = http://www.sun-n-fun.org/content/news/story.asp?newsid=240&section=yearround&body=news
title = Florida Aviation Hall Of Fame Inductees Named
accessdate = 2007-08-21]

See also

* Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

References

External links

* [http://www.erau.edu Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]
* [http://givingto.erau.edu/societies/riddle.html The John Paul Riddle Society]